Transportable wood-fired oven trailer

ABSTRACT

The present invention relates to a transportable wood-fired oven trailer which is mountable to a towing vehicle, and can be modified in certain aspects between “transport” and “operational” modes. The trailer has increased manoeuvrability in particular when reversing and also increased stability due to the rearwardly offset wheel axle, and whose configuration also provides for increased storage and work space. It is envisaged that such trailers could be transported to public and social events and shows, and used to prepare wood-fired food.

The present invention relates to a transportable wood-fired oven trailer adapted to be transported to a location having pedestrian traffic, such as street vending sites, or special events such as family events, for on-site preparation of foods at those locations.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Many people like the taste imparted by a wood-fired oven. In fact, it appears that societal dining tastes and trends are leaning toward Continental cuisine. Restaurants offering new and varied dining experiences and tastes, from the sublime to the exotic, have flourished and prospered during the past decade or two. Among the tastes frequently sought after is that of food cooked or baked in a solid fuel oven, such as wood-fired oven baked breads and pizzas, as well as various other foods that can be prepared in a solid fuel, wood-fired oven. These ovens provide a unique cooking method and the fired gases and smokes let off by the solid fuels impart to the foods cooked in these ovens a unique taste obtained only from such ovens. Diners frequent restaurants whose menus include such wood-fired oven foods for the gustatory experience offered by these uniquely flavoured foods, such as breads, pastas, pastries, poultries, fish, meats and pizzas.

A problem arises for the person who wishes to dine on foods cooked or baked in a solid fuel oven, but is not near a restaurant offering such foods, or does not have the time required to dine in a restaurant. The foods prepared in a solid fuel oven, including wood-fired ovens, are best eaten when freshly prepared and cooked. Therefore, although many restaurants offer take-out or carry-out foods prepared in wood-fired ovens, the carry-out diner is unable to experience the freshly baked or cooked flavours available to in-restaurant diners. Frozen oven baked foods as well do not offer the true gustatory experience offered by freshly cooked wood-fired oven foods.

Workers on their lunch breaks often do not have the time to visit and dine in a restaurant or may just prefer to eat outside. Additionally, persons at outdoor events must typically rely on food vendors dispensing foods from carts for their dining experiences. Workers and event attendees, as well as others, who seek fresh, on-site wood-fired oven cooked or baked foods have been denied the experience either because of logistical difficulties or time restraints in going to a restaurant and ordering such foods.

Side walk vendors, while offering foods prepared on-site, do not offer wood-fired oven cooked foods. Current side walk vendors offer foods prepared on grills or ovens heated with natural gas flames, charcoal or electrically generated heat, but the relatively quick and flavour enhancing aspect offered by wood-fired heat is lacking in natural gas, charcoal or electric ovens or grills. Additionally, the utility requirement of electrically powered vending carts limits the operation of those carts to where such utilities are practicably available.

The object of the present invention is to provide a transportable oven trailer which obviates or alleviates any one of the above problems, or at least provides the public with a useful alternative.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a wood-fired oven adapted to be utilised upon a trailer, and which trailer and oven can be transported to a location for on-site preparation of wood-fired oven foods at the location for consumption.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In a broad aspect, the invention could be said to reside in a transportable oven trailer including:

-   an elongated frame releasably attachable to a towing vehicle; -   a tray adapted to support an oven in a rear location of said tray,     said tray being supported in part by said frame when attached to     said towing vehicle and in part by an offset wheel axle assembly     disposed proximate a rear of said tray, said offset wheel axle     assembly adapted to facilitate support of said oven and     manoeuvrability of said trailer and elongated frame thereof.

Preferably said tray includes a floor and upstanding side, front and rear walls.

In preference said rear wall is moveable between open and closed positions to allow access to said oven.

Preferably said trailer includes at least one horizontal work surface associated with each of said upstanding side walls.

In preference said at least one horizontal work surface is of a height to facilitate preparation of food thereon.

In preference said at least one horizontal work surface is in the form of a work board moveable between a first position in which said work board provide a work area above and along an upstanding side wall, and a second position in which said work board is disposed in an upright position for when the trailer is being transported.

Preferably said oven is a heavy wood fired pizza oven.

In preference said oven weighs between 300 and 500 kilograms.

Preferably said tray includes upstanding brackets located at corners of the oven for preventing forward and rearward movement thereof.

In preference said tray includes a heat resistant shield disposed forwards of the oven for providing a barrier between the oven and a storage area inside said tray.

Preferably said trailer further includes an oven fuel storage compartment supported above the frame.

In preference the trailer further includes insulated containers for food storage located in the tray.

Preferably said wheel axle assembly includes a single wheel axle and an associated suspension system.

In preference the trailer further included a park brake for locking the position of said trailer.

In a further form of the invention there is proposed a transportable wood-fired oven trailer including:

-   a tray including a floor, a front end and a rear end, and upstanding     front, rear, and side walls, said rear wall being moveable between     an open position in which the inside of said tray is accessible and     a closed position, said tray including a wood-fired oven disposed at     a rear end of said tray and including doors which are accessible     from said rear end; -   an elongated A-frame including a coupling at its apex adapted to be     releasably attachable to a towing vehicle, said A-frame further     configured to support said front end of said tray; and -   an offset wheel axle disposed proximate the rear of the tray, said     offset wheel axle adapted to support the rear end of said tray     including the weight of the oven, and to facilitate manoeuvrability     of the trailer.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate several implementations of the invention and, together with the description, serve to explain the advantages and principles of the invention. In the drawings:

FIG. 1 illustrates a side view of a conventional trailer adapted to be hauled by a powered vehicle such as an automobile;

FIG. 2 illustrates a side view of a transportable wood-fired oven trailer in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 3 illustrates a rear view of the transportable wood-fired oven trailer of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 illustrates a front view of the transportable wood-fired oven trailer of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 illustrates a perspective view of the transportable wood-fired oven trailer of FIG. 2 including a heat proof shield in exploded view positioned forwards of the wood-fired oven;

FIG. 6 illustrates a perspective view of the transportable wood-fired oven trailer of FIG. 2 including two insulated containers in exploded view positioned at the front of the trailer;

FIG. 7 illustrates a perspective view of the transportable wood-fired oven trailer of FIG. 2 including a front wood compartment in exploded view mounted above the A-frame of the trailer;

FIG. 8 illustrates a side view of the transportable wood-fired oven trailer of FIG. 2 including a heat proof-shield, two insulated containers, and a wood compartment;

FIG. 9 illustrates a top view of the transportable building of FIG. 8;

FIG. 10 illustrates a perspective view of a transportable wood-fired oven trailer without the wood-fired oven, having side work trays mounted in a horizontal useable position in accordance with a first embodiment;

FIG. 11 illustrates a perspective view of the transportable wood-fired oven trailer of FIG. 10 without the wood-fired oven, having side work trays mounted in a vertical transportable position in accordance with a first embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 12 illustrates a perspective view of a transportable wood-fired oven trailer without the wood-fired oven, having side work trays in hinged connection to the trailer in accordance with a second embodiment;

FIG. 13 illustrates a side view of the wood-fired oven trailer of the present invention including adjustable support legs in their stored away position; and

FIG. 14 illustrates a side view of the wood-fired oven trailer of FIG. 13 including adjustable support legs in their operational position.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The following detailed description of the invention refers to the accompanying drawings. Although the description includes exemplary embodiments, other embodiments are possible, and changes may be made to the embodiments described without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Wherever possible, the same reference numbers will be used throughout the drawings and the following description to refer to the same and like parts. Dimensions of certain of the parts shown in the drawings may have been modified and/or exaggerated for the purposes of clarity or illustration.

The present invention provides a transportable wood-fired oven trailer 10 which avoids the disadvantages of the prior art. These disadvantages include: non-portability of current wood-fired ovens; lack of maneuverability of current wood-fired oven trailers; and inadequate space for storage and preparation of food.

FIG. 1 shows a conventional prior art trailer 12 which is adapted to be towed by a powered vehicle such as an automobile (not shown). The trailer 12 includes an A-frame 14 at the front of the trailer 12 for attachment at the apex of the A-frame 14 to the automobile (not shown), and a tray 16 supported above the opposite end of the A-frame 14 and adapted to carry a load. As one can appreciate, tray 16 is also supported above a trailer wheel axle 18 which is suspended beneath the tray 16 and positioned just rearwards of centre to appropriately balance the load. Not all features of the trailer 12 are described because they are considered known in the art.

The purpose of illustrating the conventional trailer 12 is so that one can appreciate the differences between it, and the transportable wood-fired oven trailer 10 of the present invention. The transportable wood-fired oven trailer 10 of the present invention is illustrated in FIGS. 2-4. The trailer 10 is also shown in FIGS. 5-9 including various accessories which shall be described in more detail below.

The wood-fired oven trailer 10 includes an A-frame 19, a tray 20, and a wheel axle 22 as per the conventional trailer 10, however, these have been arranged and configured differently to particularly suit the application of carrying a wood-fired oven 24 at the rear of the tray 20 as shown. In particular:

-   -   the A-frame 18 has an increased length and is more robust so as         to support and accommodate a rectangular shaped compartment 26         for carrying material, in the embodiment shown being firewood         for the oven;     -   the tray 20 includes a floor 27, a fixed upstanding front wall         28, a rear wall 30 which is moveable between open and closed         positions for access to the inside of tray 20, and fixed         upstanding side walls 32 and 34. The walls 28, 30, 32 and 34 of         the wood-fired oven trailer 10 are made higher than conventional         trailer walls for reasons that are explained in more detail         below; and     -   the wheel axle 22 is positioned towards the rear of the tray 20         as opposed to just rearwards of centre. This has a number of         benefits including greater support for the wood-fired oven 24         which typically weighs around 350 kg (and anywhere up to 500         kg), greater manouvreability of the trailer 10 particularly when         reversing, and increased space in the outer side compartments 36         of the trailer 10 for storage of items.

Other standard features of the trailer 10 which are also found in conventional trailers include a spare tyre 38 mounted above the A-frame 14 in front of the firewood compartment 26, a jockey wheel 40 located forwards of the spare tyre 38, a coupling 42 for attachment to a towball (not shown) of a towing vehicle (not shown), wheel suspension 44 from which the wheel axle 22 is suspended, and tyres 46 at the ends of the wheel axle.

The oven 24 in the embodiment shown is a stone hearth oven having a domed metallic roof 48, exhaust pipe 50, and doors 52 at the front of the oven 24 for access to a food placement area, and a fuel area respectively. The length of the oven 24 is just shorter than the width of the tray 20 so that it fits snugly between side walls 32 and 34. During transport, the oven 24 may be prone to forward or rearward movement inside the tray 20. The trailer 10 includes brackets 54 at all four corners of the oven 28 which are upstanding from the tray floor 27 to prevent such movement. These types of ovens are able to heat up in a matter of 15-30 minutes and so are ideal for mobile use, however, it is to be understood that other type of heating devices could be used including clay wood-fired ovens, and large gas cookers.

The top of the stone hearth ovens 24 are typically protected by heat resistant material, and even during cooking, one can touch the top surface and not get burnt. However, the rear of the ovens 24 do not typically have such protective backing, and so the trailer 10 of the present invention may also include a heat proof shield 56 which is also upstanding from the floor 27 of tray 20 using bolts or welds or other suitable means. This is shown clearly in FIG. 5 and also FIG. 8 which shows the flow of heat from the rear of the oven 24.

The reason for this is because the front of the tray 27 is adapted to be used to carry containers filled with food such as dough, bread, pizza toppings, and other items including drinks and ice which should not be exposed to high temperatures. For example, FIG. 6 illustrates two large cooling containers 58 and 60 carrying ice 62. FIGS. 8-9 illustrate the wood-fired oven trailer 10 including all the abovementioned accessories in accordance with a preferred embodiment.

Obviously, when the wood-fired trailer 10 is transported to a place for use, there needs to be an appropriate work area for persons to prepare the food before placing it into the wood-oven 24, and for other duties including pouring drinks and the like. For example, in the case of pizza, one needs a work area to prepare the dough, flatten it out, and apply the toppings before placement into the oven 24. A significant food preparation and work area is provided by the trailer 10 of the present invention using longitudinal rectangular side boards 64 and 66 associated with the tray side walls 32 and 34 respectively.

The side boards 64 and 66 extend approximately the length of the tray 20. The side boards 64 and 66 and the way in which they are attached to the trailer are shown most clearly in FIGS. 10-11, and by way of a second embodiment in FIG. 12. In the first embodiment, each board 64 and 66 includes a bracket 68 along an elongate edge thereof, the brackets including a set of apertures 70 along their length. The side walls 32 and 34 of the trailer include perpendicularly offset surfaces, that is, an upper horizontal surface and an inner vertical surface. The upper horizontal surface includes a set of apertures 72, and the inner vertical surface includes a set of apertures 74, both of which are disposed along the length of the trailer so that the boards may be connected to the side walls in one of two configurations. The first configuration is shown in FIG. 10 where the boards extend horizontally and are fixed in place by bolts 76 which extend through coaxially aligned apertures 70 and 72. The second configuration is shown in FIG. 11 where the boards extend vertically and fixed in place by bolts 78 which extend through coaxially aligned apertures 70 and 74.

Obviously, the upright configuration is used during transport of the trailer, and the horizontal configuration is used for when the trailer arrives at a destination and the boards are required to be used as work surfaces. As mentioned earlier, the heights of the trailer walls are greater than in conventional trailer design so that the work boards 64 and 66 when configured horizontally, are disposed at a suitable height for working on. This is also important in terms of occupational health and safety.

The second embodiment shows a hinged connection 76 between the side work boards 64 and 66, and the corresponding side walls 32 and 34 of the trailer 10, thereby allowing the boards 64 and 66 to be freely rotated between their transport and useable positions. Brackets 78 are also shown which are adapted to provide an abutment for the boards when in the upright position. It is to be understood that the means by which the boards 64 and 66 are moveable between transport and work area positions is not intended to be limited to any one configuration.

When the trailer is stationary, there is also a need to ensure it is stable and will not move or rotate about the wheel axle, particularly because of the hot equipment mounted on the trailer. FIGS. 12-13 illustrate support jacks or brakes 80 suspended beneath the rear of the trailer which are also moveable between transport and operational positions. Once in the operational position, each support jack is adapted to be engaged by a winding tool 82 (shown in the embodiment being carried on the rear wall 30 of the trailer 10) which when operated causes further rotation of the jack to thereby lift the end of the trailer slightly and provide additional support therefor. The way in which the brakes work is considered known in the art so will not be described in more detail.

The benefits of the present invention should now be apparent. A transportable wood-fired oven trailer 10 is provided which is mountable to a towing vehicle, can be modified in certain aspects between “transport” and “operational” modes, has increased manoeuvrability in particular when reversing and also increased stability due to the rearwardly offset wheel axle, and whose configuration also provides for increased storage and work space. It is envisaged that such trailers could be transported to public and social events and shows to be used for catering such events, or they could simply be or offered for hire or sale to the general public for personal use.

Further advantages and improvements may very well be made to the present invention without deviating from its scope. Although the invention has been shown and described in what is conceived to be the most practical and preferred embodiment, it is recognized that departures may be made therefrom within the scope and spirit of the invention, which is not to be limited to the details disclosed herein but is to be accorded the full scope of the claims so as to embrace any and all equivalent devices and apparatus. In any claims that follow and in the summary of the invention, except where the context requires otherwise due to express language or necessary implication, the word “comprising” is used in the sense of “including”, i.e. the features specified may be associated with further features in various embodiments of the invention. 

1. A transportable oven trailer including: an elongated frame releasably attachable to a towing vehicle; a tray adapted to support an oven in a rear location of said tray, said tray being supported in part by said frame when attached to said towing vehicle and in part by an offset wheel axle assembly disposed proximate a rear of said tray, said offset wheel axle assembly adapted to facilitate support of said oven and manoeuvrability of said trailer and elongated frame thereof.
 2. A transportable oven trailer as in claim 1 wherein said tray includes a floor and upstanding side, front and rear walls.
 3. A transportable oven trailer as in claim 2 wherein said rear wall is moveable between open and closed positions to allow access to said oven.
 4. A transportable oven trailer as in claim 2 wherein said trailer includes at least one horizontal work surface associated with each of said upstanding side walls.
 5. A transportable oven trailer as in claim 4 wherein said at least one horizontal work surface is of a height to facilitate preparation of food thereon.
 6. A transportable oven trailer as in claim 4 wherein said at least one horizontal work surface is in the form of a work board moveable between a first position in which said work board provide a work area above and along an upstanding side wall, and a second position in which said work board is disposed in an upright position for when the trailer is being transported.
 7. A transportable oven trailer as in claim 1 wherein said oven is a heavy wood fired pizza oven.
 8. A transportable oven trailer as in claim 7 wherein said oven weighs between 300 and 500 kilograms.
 9. A transportable oven trailer as in claim 1 wherein said tray includes upstanding brackets located at corners of the oven for preventing forward and rearward movement thereof.
 10. A transportable building as in claim 1 wherein said tray includes a heat resistant shield disposed forwards of the oven for providing a barrier between the oven and a storage area inside said tray.
 11. A transportable oven trailer as in claim 1 further including an oven fuel storage compartment supported above the frame.
 12. A transportable oven trailer as in claim 1 further including cooling containers for food storage located in the tray.
 13. A transportable oven trailer as in claim 1 wherein said wheel axle assembly includes a single wheel axle and an associated suspension system.
 14. A transportable oven trailer as in claim 1 further including a park brake for locking the position of said trailer.
 15. A transportable wood-fired oven trailer including: a tray including a floor, a front end and a rear end, and upstanding front, rear, and side walls, said rear wall being moveable between an open position in which the inside of said tray is accessible and a closed position, said tray including a wood-fired oven disposed at a rear end of said tray and including doors which are accessible from said rear end; an elongated A-frame including a coupling at its apex adapted to be releasably attachable to a towing vehicle, said A-frame further configured to support said front end of said tray; and an offset wheel axle disposed proximate the rear of the tray, said offset wheel axle adapted to support the rear end of said tray including the weight of the oven, and to facilitate manoeuvrability of the trailer. 